Have you ever watched that Korean drama ‘Boys Over Flowers'? Did you ever get annoyed that the two main characters seemed to absolutely refuse to communicate with each other? I’m sure some lack of communication was due to personality, some of it due to cultural aspects, but the lack of communication is so high that it seems to be half the conflict of the entire series. If they would have just communicated a little more, the series may have only been twelve episodes long, instead of twenty-five.
Now, what in the world does this observation have to do with being a landlord?
Um, a lot. I would say it has to do with at least half of all the issues you’re going to deal with as a landlord. That’s right, if you want to have success managing rental units, you’re going to have to brush up on your communication skills and learn how to encourage your tenants to do the same.
One aspect you need to make sure both you and your tenants communicate to each other about is maintenance and upkeep. Who is in charge of the yard and landscaping? What are you regularly going to check up on and maintain? What is the tenant expected to maintain? Who pays for what when damage occurs? How will the tenant let you know when something needs fixed?
Your list could look something like this-
Tenant Responsibilities
Deposit all garbage in proper receptacles
Will haul away large garbage items not disposed of by garbage service
Keep premises clean
Unclog kitchen and bathroom drains, if professional help is needed, tenant is in charge of paying
Will pay to replace garbage disposal if misused
In charge of paying for and replacing all light bulbs in rental unit
Will alert landlord/maintenance directly of maintenance issues
Landlord Responsibilities
Check smoke alarms and air filters regularly, replace as needed
Will maintain the landscaping of the property
Will cover cost and repair of normal wear and tear
When doing apartment checks will give forty-eight hour notice beforehand
Will respond to maintenance alerts from residents promptly
Make sure HVAC system is serviced and well-maintained
And guess what, if you communicate the answers to the questions above openly at the beginning, it will save you a lot of communication down the road. And headaches. When drafting up your rental lease agreement, don’t forget why you have the residential lease to begin with. Not only does it protect you, but it lets everyone listed on the lease know what is expected of them.
If your life as a landlord were a show, you could have half the drama by simply having better communication.
